Description:
Lockheed Martin S-3 Viking was developed as a replacement for US Navy's S-2 Tracker carrier-based anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. It was intended to provide greater capacity for tracking Soviet cruise missile submarines. S-3 jet aircraft also provides anti-surface warfare (ASuW)/anti-ship capability. The US Navy also employs this aircraft on surveillance, electronic countermeasures, command/control/communications warfare, and search and rescue (SAR) missions. Afterwards the Soviet Union collapse the S-3Bs were oriented for surveillance and precision strike missions.
Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR), Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Infrared (IR) sensors are key elements of the S-3 weapon system as well as its electronic support measures (ESM). S-3 Vikings can release AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile and IR/laser-guided AGM-65 Maverick as well as torpedoes, rockets and bombs. The US Navy has added to S-3B Viking the capability to take control over the SLAM-ER precision attack missile. All S-3 models are powered by two TF34-GE-400 turbofan engines each rated at 9,275-lb of thrust.
ES-3A Shadow is a carrier-based Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) aircraft derived from the S-3A Viking. Up to 16 S-3As were converted into ES-3As in the early 1990s. It was introduced in 1991 as a replacement for EA-3B Skywarrior within the US Navy. To accomplish its mission ES-3A aircraft relies on Electronic Warfare (EW) equipment in a dorsal fairing. Like the S-3B Viking the US Navy plans to decommission the last ES-3A aircraft in 2009.
Specifications Accommodation: Crew 4
Dimensions: Height 6.9 m, Length 16 m, Wingspan 20.6 m
Weights: Max Weight 23,600 kg (52,028 lb), Payload 1,780 kg (3,924 lb)
Engine/s Performance: Thrust 18,550 lb (8,414 kg)
Performance: Ceiling 12,200 m (40,026 ft), Max Range 4,300 km (2,322 nm), Top Speed 232 mps (Mach 0.70)
Other: Number of Engines 2
Operators
United States of America
Image Gallery
Notes (*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)
United States of America